This invetnion relates to an improved device for providing liquid and other foods to animals, including pets and livestock.
Typically domestic animals, whether pets or livestock raised for commerce, are left untended for extended periods of time during the day or even over a course of several days. In order to meet the feeding needs of the animal, a common practice is to leave a supply at least of water, and possibly also of other feed substances, in a feeding location accessible to the animal. The animal is then able to feed at will from the supply.
In many circustances, this practice is far from ideal. A supply of water left for an animal inevitably ends up at room temperature, in which condition it is far less palatable or inviting to the animal than is cold, fresh water. Similarly, if solid foods are left out to supply the animal for any extended period of time, the food soon becomes warm and dry and much less appetizing for the animal. In the result, the animal may drink and eat far less than it should, lose weight and/or become dehydrated. This tends to hinder the general well-being of the animal, creating unhappiness or discomfort, and possibly ill-health. In commercial establishments, this may cause economic loss or necessitate greater human intervention in the care of the animal.
It has been found conversely that animals much prefer to drink cool water and will drink more water more often if they have access to cooler water. Animals also prefer to eat fresher solid food, and will feed more readily if such food is available.
The above circumstance occurs most acutely in warm, summer months. In freezing temperatures, problems are encountered with feed substances freezing and thus becoming unavailable for consumption by the animal. This latter situation has been addressed to some degree in the context of livestock watering devices. Generally, the following describe devices which are designed to supply water to livestock in freezing conditions: U.S. Pat. No. 3,306,263 issued Feb. 28, 1967 to Johnson; U.S. Pat. No. 2,612,138 issued Sep. 30, 1952 to Lindemann; U.S. Pat. No. 1,553,739 issued Sep. 15, 1925 to Belden; U.S. Pat. No. 1,497,202 issued Jun. 10, 1924 to Belden.
The above-referenced devices have been designed with the object of delivering quantities of water to livestock in freezing conditions. These devices do not address the problem of providing cooled liquid and solid feeds to animals in warmer temperatures, nor are any of these devices readily adaptable for use with pets or animals located at separate feed sites, or where transmission of disease between animal users may be a consideration.